Taking a break from social media.

Two nights ago, while pulling my dog with the wagon, I stopped walking, looked down at my phone, and posted this:

Taking a social media break. ☺

— Jeffrey Nordstrom (@jeffnords) August 13, 2015

I posted similar "On hiatus" messages on my other accounts, and subsequently deleted Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram from my phone.

Why?

• I've been a regular Facebook user since 2007. It started as a means to connect with friends; for a few years, it acted as my "links repository," where I posted links to different articles. Since 2011, my use of Facebook has become more family-oriented: I post things that might be of interest to family members and friends. On Facebook I have become decidedly non-controversial; I got tired of unnecessary arguments from distant relatives and friends. Over the last year, I don't really know why I've been on Facebook at all, except perhaps to keep up with private groups and events, and to write private messages.

• I started using Twitter within the last few months. It became a new links repository and I made a few connections. However, I haven't really connected with Twitter in a way that leads to attention: I'm not funny, witty, or acerbic enough to thrive there. Instead, I just get overwhelmed and jealous.
  
• I also started using Instagram since I got the S5. It's fun, but I haven't really connected with many people there.

I wrote this on my phone yesterday.

What I think I'm trying to say is this: Social media has not been making me happy in any way. I make some connections here and there, but the public aspect of social media has grown tiresome. I'm obsessed with looking at my phone and checking for notifications, but I just feel further and further from real relationships and I simply can't do it anymore. 

So I'm going for an indefinite public hiatus. I haven't deleted any accounts; my Messaging apps and accounts will exist in order to keep connections here and there. But, for the time being, I'm not going to "maintain a social media presence" per se.

What will I maintain over this period?

• This weblog. Years ago I kept an online journal and I enjoyed it; perhaps this will bring back some spark into my writing and help me break some of the bad writing habits I've adopted over the last decade.
• I will maintain my musician Facebook page (which I essentially ignore at this point)
  
• I will maintain my YouTube channel. I hope to diversify my content there.

I started to feel that social media was taking far more from me than I was getting from it and my real-life relationships and my ego were suffering. 

So it's time for a break.